ERCC DEVOTIONAL (TEKAN) DAILY SPIRITUAL DIET THURSDAY 31ST AUGUST, 2023
TEXT: SONG OF SONGS 6: 4 - 13
SPIRITUAL FOCUS: THE GROOM IS PRAISING THE BRIDE.
The Book of Songs is full of love stories. Yesterday we heard the bride praising the groom. That is how the Church should treat Christ with a pure heart. Nor should it take the place of God. In today's reading twice the groom praises the bride with beautiful words.
Here is the question, how often do we praise the Lord? If we do not, then there is a need to do it because of the many blessings it offers us in various fields. Whenever we praise one another, we speak the truth in love, for if there is a fault in us, let us know how to correct it. We should not hide anything from each other because love overcomes fear (1 John 4: 18).
In our study, the groom tells the bride to stop looking at him because her eyes are dominating him (vs. 5). This is a challenge for us followers of Christ. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. Unfortunately, some followers enjoy seeing strange things.
At the reading, the groom told the bride to stop looking at him, but now because of love he told her to come back to look at him again (verse 13). In this way the Lord seeks us who have strayed to return to Him. He will accept us and forgive us.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Real life, is in Jesus alone.
PRAYER: Lord God, I beseech You, help me, to love You with all my heart and with all my soul in the name of Jesus, Amen.
SONG OF SONGS 6: 4 - 13 (MSG).
4 Dear, dear friend and lover, you're as beautiful as Tirzah, city of delights, Lovely as Jerusalem, city of dreams, the ravishing visions of my ecstasy.
5 Your beauty is too much for me--I'm in over my head. I'm not used to this! I can't take it in. Your hair flows and shimmers like a flock of goats in the distance streaming down a hillside in the sunshine.
6 Your smile is generous and full-- expressive and strong and clean.
7 Your veiled cheeks are soft and radiant.
8 There's no one like her on earth, never has been, never will be.
9 She's a woman beyond compare. My dove is perfection, Pure and innocent as the day she was born, and cradled in joy by her mother. Everyone who came by to see her exclaimed and admired her-- All the fathers and mothers, the neighbors and friends, blessed and praised her:
10 "Has anyone ever seen anything like this-- dawn-fresh, moon-lovely, sun-radiant, ravishing as the night sky with its galaxies of stars?"
11 One day I went strolling through the orchard, looking for signs of spring, Looking for buds about to burst into flower, anticipating readiness, ripeness.
12 Before I knew it my heart was raptured, carried away by lofty thoughts!
13 Dance, dance, dear Shulammite, Angel-Princess! Dance, and we'll feast our eyes on your grace! Everyone wants to see the Shulammite dance her victory dances of love and peace.
